HC Deb 12 July 2001 vol 371 cc649-50W
Sir Teddy Taylor

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason he will not publish the numbers and the cost of the euros which have been purchased by the Bank of England in consequence of gold sales. [3233]

Ruth Kelly

The purchase of euros assets with proceeds from the gold sales programme forms only part of the restructuring of the United Kingdom's foreign currency reserves. As the National Audit Office Report on "The Sale of Part of the UK Gold Reserves", published on 12 January 2001, statesa meaningful value for money assessment of the financial benefits to sell gold could only be undertaken over the medium to long-term, since a misleading impression of the benefit, or otherwise, of the restructuring may arise if too short a period is used. Over the short-term, temporary fluctuations in assets prices may tend to impact". However to give an indication of the change in the value of the UK's foreign currency reserves as a result of the gold sales, the National Audit Office Report provides a snapshot figure as at 18 December 2000 of a gain to the reserves of US$34 million (around £23 million).